Critics have called the bill the "London Whale Protection Act," a reference to the J.P. Morgan trader who lost his firm $6.2 billion last year. Opposing the measure were many labor and consumer groups and the Obama administration — in other words, some of Moore's key allies.

National liberal leaders are now — believe it or not — raising questions about the liberal lawmaker's motives.

"It's shocking," Ed Mierzwinski, a senior fellow with the consumer advocacy group U.S. Public Research Interest Group, said of Moore's vote.

The explanation might be as basic as it gets in American politics.

"There's a lot of fundraising potential in these bills," said Marcus Stanley, policy director of Americans for Financial Reform, a Washington, D.C.-based coalition of mostly liberal organizations.

This year, Moore already has collected $35,750 from investment firms and banking interests, including the political action committee for CME Group, which describes itself as the "world's leading and most diverse derivatives marketplace."

In sum, she has received nearly $135,000 from financial firms since January 2011.

But Moore's congressional staff dismissed any suggestion that she was being rewarded for her allegiance to the moneyed interests.

"Absolutely not," said Minh Ta, chief of staff for Moore.

Moore spokeswoman Staci Cox chimed in: "Wall Street has no influence on how the congresswoman votes."

Moore is, in truth, backing a raft of bills pushed by international banks to loosen curbs on derivatives contained in Dodd-Frank, the big regulatory overhaul enacted after the financial meltdown of 2008. Derivatives are complex financial securities that played a role in that crisis.

Ta labeled the various bills "technical fixes," most of which passed with Moore's help in the last congressional session. He also noted that Moore, a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, co-sponsored Dodd-Frank. She is also a member of the Financial Services Committee.

Moore has defended her support of the bills by saying they are important to major manufacturers in her district, including Caterpillar Inc. But Ta said no particular Wisconsin company had lobbied Moore to support the measures.

Moore and many other federal lawmakers, he said, are hoping their constituents at home aren't watching as they do the bidding of the banking interests. In Moore's case, more than a quarter of the residents in her district were living below the poverty line in 2010, and the median household income there was only $34,138, records show.

"Members of Congress think they can get away with it," Mierzwinski said.

It's not readily apparent why Moore would need the extra cash. She hasn't had a real challenger since her first contest in 2004.

But Moore can score points with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and other top Democrats by building a large war chest and using part of it to help out candidates in tough races. She may even be thinking about running soon for a leadership position herself, said several insiders.

Moore collected $823,446 in campaign contributions during the 2011-'12 cycle.

It's easier to see why Wall Street would want to lock arms with Moore, a Democratic legislator from an urban district with a liberal voting record.

Stanley, spokesman for Americans for Financial Reform, said Moore helps give "cover" to the banking and financial firms hoping to blow a hole in Dodd-Frank.

"It's fantastically helpful for them," Stanley said. "They can portray rolling back financial regulations as a bipartisan thing. When they're attacked, they can point their finger at Gwen Moore and say, 'Look, she's supporting it.'"

Air war continues

Milwaukee County Sheriff David A. Clarke Jr. keeps pumping out the radio ads and billing the taxpayers.

Records show Clarke's office has agreed to purchase $9,400 worth of air time for his radio spot encouraging citizens to surprise their attackers and to be "ruthless" in their response. The records were released in response to an open records request.

Inspector Edward Bailey said the sums will be paid at the end of the month if all the ads run.

The bulk of the ad buy was for four weeks of time on WISN-AM (1130) during late May and June. The county will pay $6,600 for 60 spots on radio shows and 60 spots on streaming audio.

Clarke has filled in for WISN talk show hosts Mark Belling and Jay Weber so far this year.

Clarke's office also agreed to shell out $2,800 for 20 spots in June on the "Dave and Carol" morning show at WKLH-FM (96.5).

Clarke has sharply criticized Supervisor Patricia Jursik for the measure, which he has labeled a gag order. He has accused Jursik and the Journal Sentinel of suffering from "Clarke Derangement Syndrome."